The Northern Flicker is a large (10 to
11-inch) woodpecker that includes five subspecies: yellow-shafted
flicker, red-shafted flicker, gilded flicker, Guatemalen flicker
and Cuban flicker. The birds are generally brownish grey in color
with black 
barring on the back, wings and tail.
The breast is lighter with black spots. There is a black collar
on the breast. Field notes include a white rump, yellow or salmon
under the wings and tail in flight. Subspecies also differ in
the color of the throat, crown and some have a red blaze on the
back of the head. The males have a mustache, also called a malar
stripe, that is black in some subspecies and red in others.
Flickers are monogamous and mate for life.
Breeding begins in late April and early May. They are cavity
nesters. They prefer digging into dead or decaying trees where
they can find weak wood to excavate. They will also excavate
poles and fence posts and sometimes use nest boxes. Older adults
will return to the same breeding site year after year.
It can take up to two weeks to prepare
the cavity. The female lays one egg each day until she has from
five to eight eggs. The eggs are white. Both parents tend the
nest. Incubation is from 11 to 14 days from the day the last
egg is laid The young fledge in about a month. There is generally
one brood raised per year but in the southern range there can
be two.
Flickers feed on many things including
ants, beetles, wasps, caterpillars, acorns, nuts, grains, berries
and fruits. They will, on occasion, visit feeders.
Northern Flickers can be found thoughout
North America, Mexico, Central America and Cuba. They frequent
urban, suburban and rural areas.
The plush Northern Flicker shown at top
is made by Wild Republic and is part of their Audubon Birds collection.
These birds are unique in that when squeezed they will utter
their own particular call. Check the Gift
Shop to see if we have any Northern Flickers in stock.
